Tommy Blaize & NYJO Present: The Music of Ray Charles

Lead singer of the BBC Strictly Come Dancing band, Tommy Baize will be joining The National Youth Jazz Orchestra for a tribute to legendary musician, Ray Charles, at The Apex, in Bury St Edmunds, later this month.

As lead singer of the BBC Strictly Come Dancing band, Tommy’s performances have helped create some of the most memorable TV moments of recent times.

Singing live to an audience of more than 12 million every week, his soulful voice is etched in the public consciousness. In a career spanning a remarkable 50 years, Tommy (pictured above) has also worked with renowned artists including, Diana Ross, Queen, The Beach Boys, Amy Winehouse, Joe Cocker and Stevie Wonder.

Tommy said: “I first started singing Ray Charles’ music aged nine, with my brothers – ‘The Blaize Brothers’ as we were known – in the social clubs of the North West in the 1970s, and I still have his songs in my own live set to this day.”

 Known as the Father of Soul, Ray Charles changed the course of music history with his pioneering combination of gospel, jazz, pop and R&B.

A prolific pianist, singer, composer and civil rights activist, his hoarse voice and passionate performances made him one of the most recognisable artists of the 20th century.

 An icon celebrated across the globe, he was one of the first people inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“To me Ray Charles is without question one of the greatest artists in history.” Tommy explains. “There’s something very special about the way he effortlessly crosses so many styles of music, and his genius in being able to sell a song without defining himself in any one genre.”

The 19-piece National Youth Jazz Orchestra is a glittering showcase for the country’s best young musicians.

Since founding in 1965, many of Britain’s jazz musicians have risen through its ranks, including Guy Barker, Mark Nightingale, Pete Long, Dennis and Winston Rollins and Amy Winehouse. Which explains why Sir John Dankworth is famously quoted as describing NYJO as one of the best bands you will ever hear.

Tommy Blaize and the NYJO will play The Apex, Bury St Edmunds on Thursday, March 30, at 7.30pm. See www.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more information or to book tickets.